Shower head



Nov. 27, 1934. w. H. DARLING 1,981,948

SHOWER HEAD Filed Feb. 7, 1934 UTI'UBTI "OT Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to shower heads or spray nozzles for use in shower baths and particularly to that type of shower head having a bell-shaped body in the mouth of which is positioned an obstructor member, small grooves usually being formed in the edge of the obstructor member for the passage of water, and the obstructor member being adjustable longitudinally of its axis for cleansing purposes. This type of shower head discharges a harsh spray, that is, the jets of water impinge against the body with considerable force. My object is to devise a shower head with which the water will be discharged in a soft or gentle spray and yet in which the discharged Water will be spread thoroughly over a considerable area.

I attain my object by providing an annular groove in the inner surface of the body and a cooperating annular groove in the outer periphery of the obstructor member and in the channel thus formed is placed an annular series of beads, which may be either round, or have rounded ends, to form between them outlets for the escape of water.

The shower head is constructed in detail substantially as hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the head;

Fig. 2 is a plan view looking at the outlet end of the head;

Fig. 3 a detail on a larger scale illustrating the parts in position to permit a maximum flow of water;

Fig. 4 a similar view illustrating the parts in position to permit a minimum flow of water.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

1 indicates a shower head shell or casing, having an inlet at one end, and is preferably bellmouthed at the other end to form a large outlet. The inlet end of the casing may be suitably shaped and threaded for direct attachment to a supply pipe, but for purposes of adjustment I prefer to form it with a socket 2 to receive the ball-shaped end of the inlet connecter 3, the latter being held in place in the socket by a keeper ring or cap 4. The connecter 3 is provided with an internal thread to receive the end of a supply pipe. I show the socket 2 as formed of a separate piece, which may be metal, fibre, rubber or other suitable packing material.

Within the body is formed aspider 15 having a threaded hole therein for receiving the threaded stem 5 of an obstructor member 6. This stem is provided with a head to prevent its withdrawal from the hole. This head is preferably formed by a washer 7 held in place by a screw 8 threaded into the end of the stem.

The outlet end of the body is formed with an external thread and on this is screwed a keeper ring 9. In this keeper ring and the adjacent portion of the inside face of the body is formed an inwardly-facing annular groove 10, while in the outer periphery of the obstructor member is formed an annular groove 11. These grooves between them form a bead-receiving recess. In this recess is positioned an annular ring of beads 12. The beads are sufficient in number to contact with one another and their adjacent surfaces are rounded, thus forming gaps at each side which act as water outlets. In Fig. l the obstructor member is shown in position to supply a medium amount of water. In Fig. 3 the obstructor member has been moved inwardly of the head to permit a maximum flow of water, while in Fig. 4 the obstructor member has been moved outwardly to restrict the flow of water to a minimum. This difference in flow is due mainly to the fact that the co-operating surfaces of the head and obstructor member are inclined outwardly from top 30 to bottom, and therefore upward movement of the obstructor member moves the beads upwardly and outwardly into the deep part of the groove 10, thus permitting the beads to spread apart, whereas downward movement of the obstructor member moves the beads downwardly and inwardly into the deep part of the groove 11, thus closing up the spaces between the beads.

The size of the beads, will naturally depend on the character of the shower desired, and the number of openings desired. The beads may be round balls or they may be, as shown in the drawing, cylindrical with rounded ends, which better separates the water streams.

The obstructor member is provided with lugs 13 to facilitate its adjustment. The ring 9 is also provided with a depending lip 14 to prevent too great a spread of water.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent surfaces of said shell and obstructor being grooved, and a row of beads fitted between said grooved surfaces; the adjacent, surfaces of said beads being of hemispherical shape.

2. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet; and an axially adjustable flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent surfacesof said shell and obstructor being grooved, and" a row of beads fitted between said grooved surfaces.

3. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet; and an axially adjustable flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent surfaces of said shell and obstructor being grooved, and a row of beads fitted between said grooved surfaces, the combined depths of the grooves at their deepest portions being greater than the diameter of the beads.

4. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet, and a flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent surfaces of said shell and obstructor being grooved, and a row of beads fitted between said grooved surfaces, the outlet end of said shell being formed as a detachable beadretainer.

5. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet; and an axially adjustable flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent surfaces of said shell and obstructor being grooved, and a row of beads fitted between said grooved surfaces, the outlet end of said shell being formed as a detachable bead-retainer.

6. In a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet; and an axially adjustable flow obstructor in said outlet, the adjacent sura row of beadsfitted between said grooved surfaces, the combined depths of the grooves at their -'deepe'st portions being greater than the diameter of the beads.

8. In "a shower head, a hollow shell having an inlet and an outlet, a flow obstructor in said outlet, said shell and obstructor forming between theihaiianhular flow passage; and a row of beads fitted in said passage between the shell and obstructor, the adjacent surfaces of said beads being shaped to permit water to flow between the beads adjacent the shell and adjacent the obstructor while the centres of the adjacent faces are in contact.

WILLIAM HENRY DARLING. 

